Lid assembly and valve for a lid assembly

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9650183-B2
Application number	US-201514844579-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Sep 3, 2015
Priority date	Sep 3, 2015
Publication date	May 16, 2017
Grant date	May 16, 2017

Abstract

A lid assembly for a drink container includes a cap, a wall and a valve member. The cap fits onto a drink container and includes a spout defining a drink passage and a vent opening offset from the drink passage. The wall depends downwardly from a lower surface of the cap and surrounds the drink passage and the vent opening. The valve member is selectively receivable within a cavity defined by the wall. With the valve member received in the cavity and the cap fit onto the drink container, a first seal isolates the vent opening from the drink passage, a second seal is movable with respect to the wall and selectively contacts the wall to selectively isolate the vent opening from liquid in the drink container, and a third seal selectively isolates the drink passage from liquid in the drink container.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A lid assembly for a drink container comprising:
a cap configured to fit onto a drink container, the cap including a spout defining a drink passage extending through the cap and a vent opening extending through the cap and offset from the drink passage;
a wall depending downwardly from a lower surface of the cap and surrounding the drink passage and the vent opening;
a valve member selectively receivable within a cavity defined by the wall and including a first seal, a second seal and a third seal, with the valve member received in the cavity and the cap fit onto the drink container, the first seal isolates the vent opening from the drink passage, the second seal is movable with respect to the wall and selectively contacts the wall to selectively isolate the vent opening from liquid in the drink container, and the third seal selectively isolates the drink passage from liquid in the drink container; and
a retainer selectively connectable with the wall and configured to connect with the wall to retain the valve member in the cavity, wherein the retainer includes a drink valve opening and the third seal cooperates with the retainer to selectively block flow along a drink valve passage between the drink valve opening and the drink passage,
wherein the valve member includes a fluid passage opening offset inwardly from and surrounded by the first seal, wherein the fluid passage opening is located along the drink valve passage.

2. The assembly of claim 1 , wherein the valve member includes a diaphragm having the third seal at a lower end of the diaphragm.

3. The assembly of claim 2 , wherein the valve member includes a cap section and a stem extending downwardly from the cap section, wherein the fluid passage opening extends through the cap section and the diaphragm is provided at a lower end of the stem.

4. The assembly of claim 1 , wherein the valve member includes an outer surface offset from the wall when the valve member is received within the cavity, wherein a vent passage is defined between the outer surface and the wall extending from the vent opening to the second seal.

5. The assembly of claim 4 , wherein the valve member includes a flap extending outwardly away from the outer surface, wherein the flap includes the second seal at a distal edge.

6. The assembly of claim 1 , wherein the wall is cylindrical.

7. A lid assembly for a drink container comprising:
a cap configured to fit onto a drink container, the cap including a spout defining a drink passage extending through the cap and a vent opening extending through the cap and offset from the drink passage;
a wall depending downwardly from a lower surface of the cap and surrounding the drink passage and the vent opening; and
a valve member selectively receivable within a cavity defined by the wall and including a first seal, a second seal and a third seal, with the valve member received in the cavity and the cap fit onto the drink container, the first seal isolates the vent opening from the drink passage, the second seal is movable with respect to the wall and selectively contacts the wall to selectively isolate the vent opening from liquid in the drink container, and the third seal selectively isolates the drink passage from liquid in the drink container, wherein the valve member includes a cap section having a fluid passage opening offset inwardly from and surrounded by the first seal, a stem extending downwardly from the cap section, a diaphragm provided at a lower end of the stem, an outer wall extending downwardly from the cap section surrounding the stem and the diaphragm and a flap extending outwardly away from the outer wall.

8. The assembly of claim 7 , wherein the first seal is provided on the cap section between the outer wall and the fluid passage opening.

9. The assembly of claim 8 , wherein the second seal is provided on a distal edge of the flap.

10. The assembly of claim 9 , wherein the third seal is provided at a lower end of the diaphragm.

11. The assembly of claim 8 , wherein the first seal is ring-shaped and extends upwardly from the cap section.

12. The assembly of claim 7 , wherein the flap is a circular ring shape.

13. The assembly of claim 7 , further comprising a retainer selectively connectable with the wall and configured to connect with the wall to retain the valve member in the cavity, wherein the valve member includes an inward flange extending inwardly from a lower end of the outer wall, wherein the inward flange cooperates with the retainer to attach the valve member to the retainer.

14. The assembly of claim 7 , wherein the valve member includes struts provided on and extending away from the outer wall.

15. A lid assembly for a drink container comprising:
a cap configured to fit onto a drink container, the cap including a spout defining a drink passage extending through the cap and a vent opening extending through the cap and offset from the drink passage;
a wall depending downwardly from a lower surface of the cap and surrounding the drink passage and the vent opening; and
a valve member selectively receivable within a cavity defined by the wall and including a membrane, a first seal, a second seal and a slit provided in the membrane, with the valve member received in the cavity and the cap fit onto the drink container, the first seal isolates the vent opening from the drink passage, the second seal is movable with respect to the wall and selectively contacts the wall to selectively isolate the vent opening from liquid in the drink container, and selective opening and closing of the slit selectively isolates the drink passage from liquid in the drink container.

16. The assembly of claim 15 , wherein the valve member includes a cap section, an outer wall extending downwardly from the cap section surrounding the slit and a flap extending outwardly away from the outer wall, wherein the first seal is provided on the cap section between the outer wall and the slit, wherein the second seal is provided on a distal edge of the flap.

17. The assembly of claim 15 , wherein the first seal is ring-shaped and extends upwardly from the cap section.

18. The assembly of claim 15 , wherein the flap is a circular ring shape.

19. The assembly of claim 15 , further comprising a retainer selectively connectable with the wall and configured to connect with the wall to retain the valve member in the cavity, wherein the valve member includes an inward flange extending inwardly from a lower end of the outer wall, wherein the inward flange cooperates with the retainer to attach the valve member to the retainer.

20. The assembly of claim 15 , wherein the valve member includes struts provided on and extending away from the outer wall.

Assignees

• Helen Of Troy Ltd

Inventors

• Chen Tiffany Chang
• Phipps Troy Hunter
• Hanson Thomas Chia
• Wiesman Joshua

Classifications

• B65D47/06 Primary

  with pouring spouts or tubes; with discharge nozzles or passages (with slidable spouts B65D47/26) · CPC title

• B65D47/2031

  the element being formed by a slit, narrow opening or constrictable spout, the size of the outlet passage being able to be varied by increasing or decreasing the pressure (B65D47/2025 takes precedence) · CPC title

• A47G19/2272 Primary

  from drinking glasses or cups comprising lids or covers · CPC title